It is known to carry out chemical reaction comprising reducing and oxidizing atmospheres either with or without the presence of a moisture rich atmosphere at high temperatures in the range of 500.degree. to 1500.degree. F. in the presence of crystalline zeolite catalyst with and without added metal components. For example, zeolite catalysts or crystalline aluminosilicates have been employed in a wide variety of reactions comprising, cracking, isomerization, aromatization, hydrocracking, alkylation, syngas conversion and the conversion of lower alcohols to olefins and/or hydrocarbon products in the gasoline boiling range and aromatic rich products. Hydrodewaxing operations which are a selective cracking of long chain paraffins and disproportionation reaction to form BTX have also been pursued in the presence of crystalline zeolites.
The formation of aromatic compounds from low molecular weight hydrocarbons, including paraffins, olefins and mixtures thereof is taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,296,324 and 3,374,281. U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,767 discloses using a zinc containing crystalline zeolite that has been combined with another metal such as platinum, nickel or cobalt for effecting hydrocracking with a small pore zeolite such as erionite. This patent teaches that the original cation of a zeolite may be replaced with zinc or with a hydrogenation component such as nickel. Some other U.S. Pat. Nos. of interest include: 3,140,249, 3,140,251, 3,140,253 and 3,140,322. U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,585 discloses using a crystalline zeolite of selected pore dimensions associated with a variety of cations including hydrogen, ammonium and metal cations. The metal cation may be incorporated by a typical ion exchange technique known in the art wherein the zeolite is contacted with the salt of the desired replacing cation or cations. Representative ion exchange techniques are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,140,249, 3,140,251 and 3,140,253 mentioned above. Following contact with the salt solution of the desired replacing cation, the zeolites are then preferably washed with water and dried at a temperature ranging from 150.degree. F. up to about 500.degree. F. Thereafter, the dried material is calcined in air, in an inert gas or a mixture thereof at a temperature within the range of 500.degree. F. to 1500.degree. F. for a period of time within the range of 1 to 48 hours or more.
It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the crystalline zeolite, both natural and synthetically formed, becomes catalytically active when original cationic sites of sodium, calcium, potassium, etc., are exchanged with metal ions, ammonium ions, hydrogen ions and mixtures thereof and converted to the cationic form. Such exchange technique may be used with any of the crystalline zeolites herein identified to change the zeolite to a catalytic active form providing an alpha (.alpha.) activity greater than 10 and preferably at least 20 alpha activity.